THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF FUNCTIONALIZED MULTI-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBE/EPOXY COMPOSITES

Functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with benzene tricarboxylic acid (BTC) was conducted by using direct friedel-craft acylation. The friedel-craft modification was used to functionalize MWCNTs effectively and without damaging the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) surface. Epoxy-based nanocomposites reinforced with CNTs with and without functionalization were prepared by mechanical mixing and ultrasonication of BTC-MWCNTs and epoxy resin in tetrahydrofuran, followed by a cross-linking reaction with a curing agent. The changes of surface properties of MWCNTs were investigated using FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis. The effect of MWCNT functionalization and their weight percentage on the thermal conductivity of epoxy nanocomposites also were investigated. The results showed that grafting BTC molecules onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes surface improved the dispersion and solubility of carbon nanotubes in epoxy matrix. It is found that the addition of BTC-MWCNTs increases both the thermal and electrical conductivity of epoxy nanocomposites in comparison to Pristine-MWCNT

Keywords:

Epoxy , Nanocomposites , MWCNT , Functionalization , Thermal conductivity